BBC Three and World of Wonder have announced that RuPaul's Drag Race UK is set to sashay onto British televisions in 2019.
“In the first UK adaptation of the show, RuPaul will be on the lookout to crown one of the UK's top drag artists the ‘Queen of Great Britain',” said producers. “But, it will take more than just a wig and pair of heels to win as ten contestants take part in weekly challenges and face off against each other to keep themselves in the competition. Contestants will compete in individual or team challenges that test a specific drag queen skill before taking on the Maxi Challenge, the headline moment of each show where they may be required to perform, model in a photo shoot, prepare a runway look for a themed challenge before having to face the judges, with one contestant each week eliminated and asked to ‘Sashay Away.'”
RuPaul hailed the news: “It is a dream come true to extend our royal family to the United Kingdom with our partners at BBC Three. I am beyond excited to celebrate the massive charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of the Queen's queens. And before anyone asks, yes, we would be thrilled to have Meghan Markle join us, as we are already preparing a ‘Royal-Mother-To-Be' runway challenge.”
Hey super queens, who's got what it takes to be part of our royal family? 👑 RuPaul's Drag Race UK is OFFICIALLY headed to @bbcthree next year. Which of the Queen's queens will be crowned Great Britain's next drag superstar? ✨ @rupaul pic.twitter.com/KHVU7trv8S
— World of Wonder (@WorldOfWonder) December 5, 2018
Said a source speaking to The Sun: “This is a massive coup for the Beeb as lots of other UK channels wanted this show. It will follow the exact same format as the American version with British twists and some famous guests. It will be filmed in London and casting directors will be searching for the best drag artists Britain has to offer – there'll be a huge budget for costumes and production and bosses are hoping that a star is born. It's really exciting for everyone involved and is expected to draw a lot of new fans to the franchise. RuPaul has a cult following so it's massive news.”
